Welcome to the GWTW Forum.Guests (non-registered users) can view the forum but are unable to post. If you don't have anything to say then why would you bother to register?One of the most popular sections of the GWTW Forum has long been the Swap Meet. A great place to sell old, seldom flown kites or to get great deals on used (gently flown) kites. Only registered users can see the Swap Meet section, let alone wheel and deal. 1000's (literally) of kites have changed hands thanks to the Swap Meet.There are several more benefits to being a registered user, but you'll have to join our little community to find out all the "secrets".Questions or concerns? Contact Steve ... just drop an email to: forum.gwtwkites@gmail.com

Hi,I remembered vaguely that there was once a thread in the old forums on french-styled turns. Just couldn't remember the details. Could anyone comment? Something like a pull/push combi turn but more emphasis on the pull part?

i too would like to know. it seems some are doing a push turn, but following their push hand with the off hand, then pulling both back quickly. so pushing to initiate rotation, pushing to stop rotation, then pulling both to clean and accentuate so the kite speeds out of the corner.

just an observational comment though. i've been playing around with doing what i described, and garnered the first ever compliment on my turns, but our wind has been totally flaky lately so lots still to learn.

Debray and Mayet have a very pronounced style when it comes to this kind of precision flying. Not sure if its more arm movement than required but then again I think making bigger exagerrated inputs might help somewhat in auto correction (Image a newbie roller blader waving their arms all over the place not to fall down).

Remembered coming across the old forum archives on discussions surrounding this as well. Something to do with heavy set bridles, push-push-pull, using elbows and arms for pushing and aggressively pulling back using both wrists to snap it in place in the new direction. Also it looks like this is not the kind of precision flying you can do standing in one spot. You'll have to constantly move back if the wind is low and with a heavy set bridle to get that sharp looking turn effect. Hope more can chime in.

PUSH, PUSH, PULL is a good place to start, as this is the basic idea. But, you'll need to add a bit of pull to the first push (start turn) to keep the tension perfect (~80% push, 20% pull). This also adds just a touch more speed to the turn. The faster the 2nd push is, the 'snappier' the corner will end. The more immediately after the 2nd push that you start the pull, and the harder you pull the two lines (together, hands equal), the louder the kite will 'thwa-crack' and the faster the kite will lock into the outward line.

The higher the wind, the faster the inputs need to be, and the less snap you'll get for the same hand speed. The kite needs to be PUSHED briefly slack to get it to stop in the corners AND to get that tasty 'thwa-crack' sound after the corner. This is harder as the wind picks up. (Corners will still look tight, of course.) It's this 'thwa-crack' part that is the hardest to get, as it's really all about very fast hands.

The same basic technique can be varied to give you controlled rolling corners with a snap exit, or even full window curves with snappy exits as well.

Practice it slow and deliberate. Then gradually speed up. You'll never do another pull turn again.

obi

« Last Edit: July 28, 2009, 11:13 PM by obijuankenobe »

Logged

"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return." L daVinci

Practice it slow and deliberate. Then gradually speed up. You'll never do another pull turn again.

obi

Gradually you stop thinking about it all together. Your hands will do what the kite and wind require. SUL conditions usually require the biggest concentration on technique. Too much punch in the push turns and the kit slows/stalls. It's about how to keep sail pressure while still getting that snap in moves.

It was this vid that got me thinking about the technique again. At 1:14 in, there's a good view of how synchronized they are. It looks like the 3rd input for the pull looks stronger (longer travel) than the push. Well again, it could be due to wind conditions or kite specific. Enjoy the vid!

Our forum is made possible by the good folks whose ads appear above and by the members of our community (PayPal donation button at bottom)In case you missed it each ad is linked to the sponsors web site. So please, take a moment and visit our sponsors sites as this forum wouldn't be possible with out them.Interested in running an ad for your business or kiting event? Contact Steve at advertise.gwtwkites@gmail.com for a quote.